If history is any guide, a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, sometimes also referred to as a ministroke, will strike approximately one-quarter million Americans this year. See “A Ministroke Can Have Major Consequences” by Paula Span, found at https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/ministroke-transient-ischemic-attack-tia-major-consequences/ (5/27/25). According to the American Stroke Association, it occurs when blood flow to the brain is temporarily blocked.
Ministroke symptoms are identical to early stroke symptoms. It is a matter of degree. Ministrokes generally only last a few minutes, then symptoms disappear, leaving no evident permanent damage, distinguishing it from a stroke. Experts have developed an acronym –FAST—to describe the symptoms and to help people recognize a stroke event as it occurs. In this acronym, time is represented by the letter “T.” Every instance of stroke is a medical emergency; hence, time is of the essence in obtaining expert medical help.
Common warning signs could include facial weakness (F), numbness or paralysis on one side of your body, especially the arm (A), slurred speech or difficulty understanding others (S), dizziness, or a severe headache with no apparent cause. See https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/what-are-the-symptoms-of-a-ministroke-or-tia/. One’s balance could be affected. The victim could suffer temporary loss of vision or blurry vision in one or both eyes. Therefore, some health educators choose to use the longer acronym, “BE FAST,” where B stands for balance and E for eyes. Https://www.webmd.com/stroke/signs-of-stroke.
Although TIA symptoms typically pass quickly, they are a warning sign that one could be at risk for a major stroke event. According to the American Heart Association, nearly twenty percent of people who suffer a TIA will have a full-on stroke within three months, and about one-third will have such a stroke within one year.
Indeed, scientific research suggests that referring to a TIA as being either “transient” or “mini” in terms of the lasting effects can be misleading. After all, roughly one in four individuals will die from heart disease or stroke. Tens of millions more people have high blood pressure. In her article, “A Ministroke Can Have Major Consequences,” found at https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/ministroke-transient-ischemic-attack-tia-major-consequences/ (5/27/25), Paula Span reports the results of a five-year university study showing TIAs led to reduced cognitive functioning not explained by other factors, such as aging.
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I just learned from a close friend that his wife suffered a TIA this past Monday. I spoke to her briefly yesterday. She described the sudden onset of symptoms, including loss of balance, dizziness, and numbness. After a few minutes, they called 911. She was admitted to a hospital for testing and an overnight evaluation. She assures me she is feeling fine now, but says she was freaked out at the time.
My friends knew that in the past ten years I’ve had two TIAs. Thankfully, it has been many years since my last.
The first event affected my speech. I recall not being able to string together words in their proper order. During the second event my field of vision narrowed, so that words at the edges of a document I had been reviewing suddenly disappeared. In both instances, there was no pain. In both cases, the event lasted but a few scant minutes. Yes, both were freaky!
Like my friend’s wife, I underwent a battery of scans and tests, including an MRI, a CT, and multiple tests involving my heart and carotid artery. Like her, my test results were normal. However, like her, I had exhibited memory deficits during a post-event neurological examination. Now, we are both prescribed a daily statin. I consider us both to be lucky.
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For years, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been supporting programs that target stroke prevention. See, e.g., “Stroke Facts for Everyone” found at https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/data-research/facts-stats/index.html (10/24/24). However, ABC News recently reported that some former CDC officials have expressed concerns that proposed budget cuts will have a negative impact on our health. Https://abcnews.go.com/Health/former-cdc-officials-warn-proposed-budget-cuts-cost/story?id=123423470 (7/2/25). It remains to be seen how things play out, of course, but as an aging person with a history of TIAs, I will be carefully monitoring health news for the impact of these possible cuts on people like me and my friend’s wife.
